On another note, the format is a bit different for this as it was written in a more traditional novel style unlike the previous DNs which resembled cellphone novels more.
Below the cut, you'll be able to read the translation without the original Japanese.To read the story with the original Japanese text (the translation is translated in between lines/paragraphs), please refer to the link to the Evernote entry below the cut.
<<Neocities: Yukimura - Fragments of Light>>
[In-Line Translation] [Source]
Fragments of Light
The right room temperature. White walls. The faint smell of chemicals. Yukimura hated that smell.
That chemical smell irritated his nose. Even though he should've been used to it by now.
He had been enduring just about everything in that place, so he shouldn't be bothered by something like that anymore.
On the other hand, even if he'd try covering his nose, he could still smell nothing but that despicable smell.
When the entire morning of long tests and examinations ended, Yukimura started reading the poem anthology he had his parents buy for him.
Most of the time he spent in his hospital room was in boredom. He couldn't do the things he wanted to do, and it was breaking his heart.
Before he was admitted to the hospital, he couldn't even remember experiencing boredom despite having free time. Aiming for the third consecutive victory, he was set on doing nothing but tennis every day.
He wasn't even able to do that. He found the reality before him much harsher, being separated from tennis.
While turning the page of the book, Yukimura thought. As he was right now, there was no difference from the rays of light on the other side of the window that couldn't reach him.
Parting the curtains, rays of light scattered and illuminated the room just as he remembered it to be.
Because he was often alone, there was so much time for him to reflect.
When his teammates or relatives or parents would visit, he'd be taken away from his reverie. But when it was only him in the hospital room, gloomy thoughts would come back and haunt him at the back of his mind.
When those feelings had grown close to his limit, she came along.
There were several knocks on his hospital door.
"Come in."
"Excuse mee!"
"...ah."
Peeking into the hospital room was his classmate Maizono Asahi.
They weren't especially close. They didn't talk a lot either.
He remembered her as being one of the class officers, but she never really stood out. He didn't have any lasting impression of her.
Yukimura wondered curiously why Maizono would visit him.
"Hello, Yukimura-kun."
"Hello. Is there something today?"
"Well, I'm here to visit today. I have something for you."
From her school bag, Maizono took out a bundle of printouts.
"Here you go."
"These are the compiled homework. Sensei didn't have anyone to deliver it, so..."
"So sensei asked you to?"
Maizono shook her head as if to say 'no'.
"You know, a lot of girls raised their hands, but since we couldn't decide who would do it, the task fell on me, the class representative. You really are popular, Yukimura-kun."
"Is that so."
Even though she could have easily lied and said she wanted to bring the printouts to him, her honest answer left a good impression on Yukimura.
She was an honest person. No doubt about it.
"Thank you. This is a great help."
"There's that and this..."
"What's this? ...note copies?"
"Yeah. Mine. Since I was coming here anyways, I thought I'd also bring you a copy of our notes. If you would, please accept them."
While handing over the notes, Yukimura looked at her apologetically as if to say, 'Even notes? I'm really sorry for the trouble...'.
"No, it's really alright. But in exchange..."
"...in exchange?"
"When you leave the hospital, you must treat me to ice cream. The soda flavored one that's 80 yen."
When such an unexpected reply came from Maizono, Yukimura's jaw unintentionally dropped.
"Ice cream, huh. Okay, that's fine with me."
"Great!"
Pumping her fists victoriously, Maizono made a face as if to say 'yatta!'.
"You like ice cream?"
"Yep, I love it!"
Saying that, the girl with her school bag rested on her knees smiled quite innocently.
At that, Yukimura felt all his pent up hard feelings melt away like ice cream.
"I see. I'll keep that in mind."
That is if he could leave the hospital whole...was what Yukimura wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut.
"Since there's still time, there's one more thing I want to give you."
"Ehh, really?"
"Really. Ah, but this time it has nothing to do with soda."
Maizono spoke excitedly and amusedly, pounding a fist on her palm as if to say 'Oh, right! I almost forgot!'.
One would think she was a noisy girl. But that sort of noisiness was good.
"Oh, the curtains are shut."
"...yeah. It was the nurse who did it."
"Is it alright for me to open them?"
"Go ahead."
Maizono went from Yukimura's bedside to the window and pulled the curtains ends away from each other.
With the sound of drawing curtains, brilliant light filled the room.
Yukimura was speechless as he looked with fascination. The expanded scenery made him feel so distant from the world outside.
"The weather's really good today."
"...yeah, you're right."
From such a simple thing as Maizono opening the curtain, Yukimura felt as if his heart was beating faster.
Without her noticing it herself, such an action eased his pent up feelings which were suffocating him.
Maizono didn't know it.
"I have a present for Yukimura-kun."
Maizono was once again rummaging through her bag. She pulled something out with such a fanfare and presented it before Yukimura.
The object, which seemed a bit out of place being held in a middle school boy's hands, was a stuffed toy rabbit.
Yukimura instinctively began pulling on the rabbit's ears.
Its round and black button eyes reflected back his face.
Up until now, Yukimura had received different kinds of well-wishing presents like melons, fruits, and flowers, but Maizono's choice of giving a stuffed toy rabbit was very much unexpected.
Yukimura let out an unintentional 'waa' in admiration. Maizono hid behind the rabbit's face and said, 'Hello! I'm Rabbit!' while moving the rabbit's hands and doing a ventriloquist act.
"This stuffed bunny looks like it's been through a lot."
It looked like it had been with her since childhood.
Since she's outgrown it, her parents wanted to throw it away, but she refused.
"I was at a loss for what to bring as a well-wishing present, then I found this. You know, when I was little, I lost control of my bike and got thrown into a stone wall and broke a bone. I went to the hospital because of that."
"That sounds like a hard injury..."
"Yeah, I guess so. Anyways, during that time in the hospital, this stuffed bunny was with me so I wouldn't feel so lonely."
"Lonely? Me?"
"Yep. Being all alone here is kinda lonely, isn't it?"
Yukimura peeked behind the rabbit. To Maizono's straightforward look, he whispered, "Yeah, you may be right."
He was never able to admit such a thing till now. Not even to his close friends, his relatives, or his club members.
Maybe it was because he was telling it to someone he wasn't very close to that he was able to express his true feelings.
Or possibly, it could be because Maizono was able to brighten up the atmosphere this much.
"If ever you feel lonely, please give me a huuug!"
Maizono said that with a foreigner's accent before handing the plushie to Yukimura.
The stuffed toy bunny was fluffy and soft. Hugging it would probably feel really good.
But of course, he wouldn't hug it right at that moment.
"Fufu, now's the perfect chance. Why don't you just do it?"
"Definitely, the bunny will also be happy~"
"Even if you say that, Maizono, you're one to talk."
"I'm just a bit shy. But if it's one-on-one, I can easily talk without restraint."
"I've never heard you talk like this before at school. My impression of you has changed."
"Eh, how so?"
"That's a secret."
It's a good thing he came to know her a little bit.
If Maizono hadn't visited today, he wouldn't be enjoying himself like this right now.
"Uwaa, somehow I'm feeling uneasy. You must think I'm a weird person by now."
"Not at all. But I could possibly still be mistaken, though..."
"...ah, stop! It's alright already. You don't have to say any more."
Maizono averted her gaze as if suddenly remembering something and checked her wristwatch.
Yukimura recalled that his visitors always check their watches before taking their leave.
'So this fun time is going to end, huh...' was what he thought, realizing he had enjoyed his conversation with Maizono.
"Ah, one more thing."
"One more thing? You still have something else?"
"Yep. This."
"Ah..."
Maizono handed me a bouquet of pink tulips.
The flowers seemed to brighten up the room's atmosphere with a feeling that reminded one of Spring.
"If it's a well-wishing present, it definitely has to be flowers, right?"
"What a nice color. Was Maizono also the one who picked these?"
"Yep! But I really don't know a lot about flowers. I can only recognize sunflowers, roses, sakura, and tulips. It just so happened the flower shop I went to only had tulips."
"...thank you. I like flowers."
"That's great! Now, uh..."
While Maizono was looking for a vase, Yukimura spoke up.
"Don't worry. I'll be the one to arrange them in the vase."
"I'm sorryy! Usually it's the person who brings the flowers who's supposed to do that, though."
"But it doesn't look like you have anywhere to put them in."
"Ahaha...yeah, you're right. Well, then, Yukimura-kun. I have to leave soon."
"Alright. ...thank you for coming today. I enjoyed talking to you."
"Hehe. Likewise. I'll be back! I wonder what I should bring next time...?"
As Maizono stood up from her seat holding her bag, Yukimura looked at her and said, "No, it's fine. Please don't worry about it."
It was enough for her to say she was coming again. Maizono left the hospital room. The door closed.
If he recalled correctly, the meaning of pink tulips was...budding romance.
He inhaled deeply and no longer smelled that irritating chemical scent. The fragments of light remained scattered in that hospital room.
End
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